


The Argatha and Her Shield

by ThotSlayer420



Category: Book of the Ancestor Series - Mark Lawrence
Genre: Convent of sweet mercy ha more like yEET MERcY, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Minor Angst, Post-Red Sister
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-01-25 20:27:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18581986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThotSlayer420/pseuds/ThotSlayer420
Summary: Nona and Ara sneak out of the Grey class dormitories at night to practice their Path magic.While learning about the Path, they find out things they never knew about each other.





	The Argatha and Her Shield

**Author's Note:**

> I recently finishing reading Red Sister and I loved all the characters, so I decided to begin my fanfiction crusade with some Nona/Ara fluff! (just ignore the small canon inconsistencies as I haven't finished Grey Sister yet, my guess for their ages in this fic is about 15 or 16??) Enjoy ;D

The two girls trudged through the forest, twigs and leaves crunching underfoot. It wasn't quite dark yet, but Arabella still carried a lantern, most of its light concealed by her habit's sleeves. They couldn't afford to be spotted outside by one of the sisters and sent to Abbess Glass, so they had both been cautious while sneaking out of the Mystic class dormitory, making sure that most of the other novices were asleep and the nuns out of sight. During dinner in the Refectory Hall, Ara had discreetly told her about a place in the forest on the plateau where she had been practicing walking the Path, and offered to show her. They approached the place where they and their friends had brewed the Black Cure, a small spot on the ground still charred from the fire.

"It's just up here," said Ara, pointing to a clearing in the trees where several large boulders sat. Nona followed, and Ara placed the lantern down on the ground. "Want to go first? Try cutting through a rock with your flaw-blades."  
Nona frowned and sighed. "It won't work. I'm rubbish at serenity trance and my flaw-blades only come out if I'm angry - same with walking the Path."

It was true that they did have an exhausting day – Nona had narrowly avoided being poisoned in shade class by Sister Apple, and the sparring matches in blade class had sucked the energy from her bones. While she did want to go to the dormitories to get some sleep, she decided that she would rather be here to spend time with Ara, no matter how tired she was.  
"Then get angry." A small smiled appeared on Ara's face. "Tell me about your childhood, and how you ended up coming to the Convent of Sweet Mercy," she said, sitting down on a rock and resting her face in her hands.

"Okay. Well, my mother sold me to the child-taker when I was eight..." Ara raised her eyebrows, prompting her to share more. "Because of what happened in the forest,” Nona continued. “Those men were going to kidnap me, so I killed all of them."  
"Try to recall how you felt when it happened? That might help," offered Ara. Nona closed her eyes, bringing herself back to that night in the forest, where she had found out Amondo had lured her in so she would be kidnapped. Betrayed by her first friend, someone she thought she could trust after years of torment from the village children, after being treated like an outcast – a witch. She remembered how quickly the men fell, their blood drenching her hands. The unquenched rage that still lingered, boiling her blood. How nobody had objected to selling her to Giljohn, and let her be shipped off to the other side of the corridor, nameless and forgotten.  
How Saida was left to hang in Harriton Prison, and she couldn’t do anything to save her friend.

_I was born for killing – the gods made me to ruin._

Nona opened her eyes, clenching her fists. With a cry, she slashed at the rock in front of her and five deep gouge lines appeared in it.  
"Wow!" Ara's eyes widened. "So that's how you rended the girl's shadow at the Academy." Nona sat back down, looking at where she had cut. Her arms felt heavy and her breath heaved with the familiar fatigue that came with using marjal magic. She’d need to practice more if she was going to use her abilities regularly. Ara stood up, flexing her wrists. "My turn now." She shut her eyes and took a deep breath, slowly repeating the prayers which would help her achieve the serenity trance.  
"Forget practicing Path. I want to know more about you," interrupted Nona.

Ara opened her eyes. Even as a peasant girl from the Grey, she was sitting in front of Arabella Jotsis, a girl of one of the Empire's greatest noble Sis houses. Years ago, she'd never thought she'd be able to venture out of the near village. The two novices were from vastly different worlds, but here in the convent they were one and the same. Nona wanted to hear about Ara's upbringing too.  
Ara grinned. "Well, as boring as it was, I mostly remember my family holding court, and the grand parties they would host. Sometimes, I'd find a way to sneak out and go play with the other children. I never thought I'd miss it. We'd always go play in the grassy fields and the other children - usually servants - would swim in the stream while I'd just sit and watch. My mother would still berate me for it, though." She smiled wistfully.

Nona listened with an amused glint in her eye - she'd never expected a girl like Ara to have a rebellious streak. "But they eventually took me to The Academy, and they found out I was a two-blood," she explained.  
“Were you scared?” Asked Nona. Ara shrugged.  
“A bit.” She paused and glanced down at the ground, brushing curly blonde hair behind her ear. "That was the last time I was ever at my family's estate. I never came back. They- they sent me to Sweet Mercy because they thought it was dangerous for me to stay with them. Rich families would do anything to get their hands on a child they think might be the chosen." She bit her lip, tears beginning to well in her eyes. "My uncle says that it's Sherzal who would try to kidnap and use me..." She trailed off, and then spoke. "I only want to be able to see my family again. I know as a Jotsis and a novice of Sweet Mercy I'm not supposed to be scared, but sometimes I just can't..."

"I'm your shield, Ara. I'll protect you," Nona said, grabbing her hand. Ara looked into Nona's dark eyes - as black as the night sky. A flush crept up her face.  
"You promise?" She whispered. Nona leaned in and kissed Ara. Her lips were soft. Ara rested a hand on Nona's shoulder, fingers grazing her neck. She found herself longing for more when the other girl finally pulled away.  
  
"I promise." The two girls sat together, exchanging a glance and a gradual, warm smile that said more than any words could. Nona felt she could be here forever with Ara, even until the moon fell and the sun died and the last of the corridor froze and closed up.  
As Thorn and Cage they would both face the future together.

Suddenly, a rustling sounded from behind the trees, making them both jump. "Shit, the nuns are coming! Run!"


End file.
